Fantasy Football: 4 Things We Learned From Week 2

Todd Gurley Is Still a Big Factor in the Passing Game

Todd Gurley stunk in 2016.

His Rushing Net Expected Points (NEP) per carry -- the number of expected points he added to his team's score each time he rushed the ball -- of -0.12 was the second-worst mark among all backs with at least 150 carries.

Essentially, every time he rushed the ball in 2016, the Los Angeles Rams' expected score dropped 0.12 points. For clarity, negative Rushing NEP per carry marks aren't uncommon because rushing is so inefficient when compared to passing. In fact, the league average Rushing NEP per carry in 2016 was -0.02.

After a poor Week 1 showing, it was looking like Gurley was going the way of Trent Richardson. His Rushing NEP per carry in Week 1 was a weak -0.19, but he was able to score a touchdown to save the day for your fantasy teams. Still, there was substantial reason to worry about Gurley, even if the Rams offense did look better.

However, we're seeing some promising signs of life now after Week 2, and it's not on the back of his inefficient running. As of this week, Gurley is now the leader for targets on the Rams. His 12 targets over the last two weeks beat out Rams receivers Cooper Kupp (11) and Sammy Watkins (7). In addition, his two red zone targets also lead the team.

Gurley's newfound usage in the passing game gives him a safe floor in PPR leagues, and it's especially reassuring for fantasy owners to see him dominate the team's red zone opportunities on the ground and in the air.

The Rams may not score a ton of points this season, but Gurley is a good bet to be the one scoring those points.